W-OLF
04-06-2006, 02:02 PM
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Milton Bradley and Frank Thomas both thought their smashing eighth-inning hits would go soaring out of the Coliseum. Instead, they learned their new park seems a whole lot bigger at night.
No matter - the newest Oakland Athletics still provided more than enough runs to beat the Yankees, who had an entirely different set of problems with the ball.
Bradley had three RBIs and scored the go-ahead run on Robinson Cano's eighth-inning error, leading the A's from a four-run deficit to a 9-4 victory over New York on Wednesday night.
Thomas hit a three-run double in the eighth for the A's, who roared from behind to take two of three in the Yankees' only visit to Oakland this season. Bradley led off the inning with a triple off the wall in the sea-level park, where former A's slugger Jason Giambi once said the night air seemingly turns the baseball into a rolled-up pair of socks.
"I thought it was gone," Bradley said. "People told me the ball doesn't carry here at night, but I guess I had to see it for myself. It all worked out in the end. ... It feels good to perform like this. I'm coming in here new and I just want to let my game speak for itself."
Cano was almost as helpful as the A's hitters, making two mistakes that led to five unearned runs. After Bradley's blast against Jaret Wright (0-1), Cano booted Jay Payton's grounder to second base against the Yankees' drawn-in infield.
Marco Scutaro added a run-scoring single - and after Oakland loaded the bases, Thomas provided his second big blast in his first three days as the A's designated hitter, pounding Kyle Farnsworth's pitch off the wall in left, inches short of a grand slam.
"I think this year our offense is even better with Milton and Frank," said right-hander Dan Haren, who pitched six innings. "I mean, look at the hits those guys got tonight. They already have a few big hits for us. That's exciting to see them in the lineup."
Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui homered for the Yankees, who made key errors during both of Oakland's big rallies. During the A's three-run fourth inning, Derek Jeter dropped a wobbly relay throw from Cano.
"I took my eye off it a little too soon, but I've got to make that play," Jeter said. "Everyone is talking about our offense, but it doesn't win games. It's pitching and defense. We're not always going to hit."
Joe Kennedy (1-0) got the last out of the eighth and finished the ninth for Oakland.
Sheffield hit his 450th homer, a three-run shot in the third inning, as New York took an early 4-0 lead. Sheffield's first homer of the season broke a tie for 28th place on baseball's career list with Jeff Bagwell and Thomas, who homered Monday night.
Oakland rallied with three runs in the fourth inning, aided when Cano and Jeter both bobbled a one-out grounder. Cano initially kicked the ball but managed to toss it to Jeter, who couldn't catch it at the bag.
"I'm not perfect," said Cano, who made 17 errors as a rookie last season. "Some things are going to happen in a game. I don't want them to happen, but I'm going to learn from my mistakes."
Bradley hit a two-run single before tying it with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth from Chien-Ming Wang, who had a shaky debut in his first full season as a starter.
Wang, picked along with Shawn Chacon over Wright for New York's four-man rotation last week, yielded seven hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings. Manager Joe Torre wasn't discouraged when Wang labored through the fourth and fifth frames, however.
"I really didn't notice anything personality-wise," Torre said. "I thought he worked hard. He had to work very hard."
Haren allowed seven hits and four runs for the A's, but struck out eight and showed the flash that made him a 14-game winner last season.
With a day off Thursday before beginning a series against the Angels, the Yankees used five relievers.
Bernie Williams struck out three times as the Yankees' designated hitter.
Notes:@ Yankees RHP Carl Pavano threw on flat ground at the club's training complex in Tampa, and he could rejoin the team for continued rehabilitation after bruising his buttocks last month in a spring training game. ... Torre used the same lineup in all three games, while A's manager Ken Macha used three different lineups. Payton started in place of Nick Swisher, who homered Tuesday. ... Wright gave up three hits and four runs in two innings for the Yankees in his first relief appearance since Sept. 28, 2003.
Credit BellSouth
No matter - the newest Oakland Athletics still provided more than enough runs to beat the Yankees, who had an entirely different set of problems with the ball.
Bradley had three RBIs and scored the go-ahead run on Robinson Cano's eighth-inning error, leading the A's from a four-run deficit to a 9-4 victory over New York on Wednesday night.
Thomas hit a three-run double in the eighth for the A's, who roared from behind to take two of three in the Yankees' only visit to Oakland this season. Bradley led off the inning with a triple off the wall in the sea-level park, where former A's slugger Jason Giambi once said the night air seemingly turns the baseball into a rolled-up pair of socks.
"I thought it was gone," Bradley said. "People told me the ball doesn't carry here at night, but I guess I had to see it for myself. It all worked out in the end. ... It feels good to perform like this. I'm coming in here new and I just want to let my game speak for itself."
Cano was almost as helpful as the A's hitters, making two mistakes that led to five unearned runs. After Bradley's blast against Jaret Wright (0-1), Cano booted Jay Payton's grounder to second base against the Yankees' drawn-in infield.
Marco Scutaro added a run-scoring single - and after Oakland loaded the bases, Thomas provided his second big blast in his first three days as the A's designated hitter, pounding Kyle Farnsworth's pitch off the wall in left, inches short of a grand slam.
"I think this year our offense is even better with Milton and Frank," said right-hander Dan Haren, who pitched six innings. "I mean, look at the hits those guys got tonight. They already have a few big hits for us. That's exciting to see them in the lineup."
Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui homered for the Yankees, who made key errors during both of Oakland's big rallies. During the A's three-run fourth inning, Derek Jeter dropped a wobbly relay throw from Cano.
"I took my eye off it a little too soon, but I've got to make that play," Jeter said. "Everyone is talking about our offense, but it doesn't win games. It's pitching and defense. We're not always going to hit."
Joe Kennedy (1-0) got the last out of the eighth and finished the ninth for Oakland.
Sheffield hit his 450th homer, a three-run shot in the third inning, as New York took an early 4-0 lead. Sheffield's first homer of the season broke a tie for 28th place on baseball's career list with Jeff Bagwell and Thomas, who homered Monday night.
Oakland rallied with three runs in the fourth inning, aided when Cano and Jeter both bobbled a one-out grounder. Cano initially kicked the ball but managed to toss it to Jeter, who couldn't catch it at the bag.
"I'm not perfect," said Cano, who made 17 errors as a rookie last season. "Some things are going to happen in a game. I don't want them to happen, but I'm going to learn from my mistakes."
Bradley hit a two-run single before tying it with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth from Chien-Ming Wang, who had a shaky debut in his first full season as a starter.
Wang, picked along with Shawn Chacon over Wright for New York's four-man rotation last week, yielded seven hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings. Manager Joe Torre wasn't discouraged when Wang labored through the fourth and fifth frames, however.
"I really didn't notice anything personality-wise," Torre said. "I thought he worked hard. He had to work very hard."
Haren allowed seven hits and four runs for the A's, but struck out eight and showed the flash that made him a 14-game winner last season.
With a day off Thursday before beginning a series against the Angels, the Yankees used five relievers.
Bernie Williams struck out three times as the Yankees' designated hitter.
Notes:@ Yankees RHP Carl Pavano threw on flat ground at the club's training complex in Tampa, and he could rejoin the team for continued rehabilitation after bruising his buttocks last month in a spring training game. ... Torre used the same lineup in all three games, while A's manager Ken Macha used three different lineups. Payton started in place of Nick Swisher, who homered Tuesday. ... Wright gave up three hits and four runs in two innings for the Yankees in his first relief appearance since Sept. 28, 2003.
Credit BellSouth